The Kids Are All Right
by Aiko Isari
Summary: Serena didn't mean to fall in love when she house-sat for a week, but her sister's neighbor won her over with fresh bread and her friendly smile. And her fluffy hair. That was good too.
1. Someplace Safe

1 - Someplace Safe

Maria was a worrywart.

This was a fact of life. Just like Mom was a softie under her cool business words, just like Shirabe could get hot-blooded rage like any human being. Maria Cadenzavna Eve was a worrywart and it got old the older you got. Shirabe and Kirika knew this first hand, and unlike her, they weren't in college yet. It was likely very humiliating. Not as humiliating as it was for her but nonetheless causing quite a bit of ear pain.

Even so, Serena was considering tearing out her hairpins and stabbing her with them so she would stop babbling. Eventually, unable to turn to such a violent method, Serena turned to less obvious, but no less drastic measures: the eyes.

"Nee-san!" she exclaimed, widening her teal eyes to the largest she could take them. "It's going to be fine. You can call me anytime and I know the neighborhood. You don't have to worry about me, honest."

Her sister gave her a look of fond, exasperated disbelief. "Serena, you barely remembered to leave enough food for your cat this week."

"Only because you called me panicking at seven in the morning."

Maria flushed, and it was pretty, Serena couldn't help but notice. Not overwhelmingly pretty but it was one that could lure the eyes. Her sister was a magnet for trouble in that way, especially when she got too focused. But she would be fine. Her manager and supervisor (not to mention her coworker) would keep her out of trouble. "I merely worry, you know."

Serena giggled. "And you do it too much. I'm fine. Now, show me what needs doing. You have a ride to catch."

Maria jumped at the chance to do so, explaining everything and grabbing her bags at the same time. She had just managed to get them both sitting on the couch when the doorbell rang. Serena watched her sister groan in irritation and rise from the comfort of the sofa. "Nee-san?"

Maria didn't answer, opening the door. "Amou-san, you're early." She sounded displeased.

"Actually!" the voice corrected, warm and boisterous and probably oblivious to Maria's displeasure. "You're about to be late. Tsubasa said so and i trust her time-keeping way more than yours." She sounded so cheerful. Serena hurried to the door, well and truly curious.

"Kanade, you didn't have to put it like that…" Another voice spoke just as Serena made it to her sister's side. The current speaker's blue hair softened the stern lines of her face. Though so did the nervous fingers clutching the first woman's shirt.

Oh. She knew who they were. Amou Kanade and Kazanari Tsubasa, former idol duo Zwei Wing, who had competed with her sister on the stage until four years ago.

"Course I did," Kanade replied cheerfully. "Maria's keeping you waiting."

Maria shot her a look of betrayal. "You are incorrigible."

Kanade grinned back at her. "And you're a hen. Go on before uncle has a fit." She peered around Maria's hands on her hips. "Oh-ho that's why you're still here. Hey there!" she waved.

"Kanade!" Tsubasa said insistently.

Serena managed to smile, chest deciding to flop her heart around. "Hello."

Maria looked at her with nothing less than dismay. Serena didn't blame her. She was doomed.

* * *

 ** _A/N:_** I don't know why I ship these two, I just do. They're a lot of fun to write already and it's only just gotten started! As always, thanks so much for reading, please drop a review, if you want to!

CHallenges: Ficlet Chap Competition (AMF), Diversity AMF H30.


	2. Story Book Smells

2 - Story Book Smells

"Hi."

It wasn't the best greeting that Serena could have come up with. To be fair though, it was the heat of the moment and honestly she was looking at the equivalent of a college student as a small senior in high school,, and this was a very good looking college student.

Kanade only smiled all the more, as if completely unaffected by Serena's inability to form a sentence. "So this is the legendary Serena. Your sister's talked about you a lot."

Reality hit like a dose of ice to her back and Serena turned on her sister, embarrassment and irritation overwhelming her sense for a moment. "Oh, did she?" She gave her sister a scowl. Maria this time had the credit to look sheepish.

"All good things," Kanade said like she hadn't noticed a thing was wrong. "You know, baby pictures, high grades, something about you being on break, ya know. Normal stuff."

"Embarrassing stuff," Serena muttered before relenting. "Are you her neighbors?" Who else would live in this neighborhood, close to the Lydian Private Music Academy where you heard all sorts of sound from at any given time of the day?

Tsubasa nodded quickly, nervously jerky if she looked again. "She's my coworker."

Serena didn't even hesitate. "I am so, so sorry."

"Serena!"

"Nee-san!" she countered back in the same, scandalized tone. "They have to know how you are by now."

Kanade and Tsubasa were both laughing, Tsubasa a little more hesitantly. "We do, we do!" Kanade placed an arm on Tsubasa's shoulder, who flushed with embarrassment.

Oh that certainly wasn't awkward. "Anyway, are you here to make sure Nee-san leaves on time?"

Tsubasa nodded quickly. "We're working together on this concert so…"

"You two are," Kanade corrected. "I'm staying here and banging out exams and papers. So we'll be neighbors for a few days!"

Oh wonderful. She was going to die in a week's time from seeing that on a regular basis. She should write out her will.

"And if you ever want food you should come over."

For a moment, Maria hesitated, torn between irritation at this person (which Serena needed the backstory and details of because anything that annoyed her was really good blackmail) and the relief at a lack of her sister burning herself on the stove. It was one time, really, one time.

"I'll have to take you up on that," she replied politely, deciding it for her. Her sister deserved it, she really did. And also it would spare her some cooking. "If I can do so in return." There we go, even better.

Kanade's permanent smile widened a tad. "Sounds great."

If her voice was a little choked, Serena didn't notice. She was too busy internally panicking because that smile knocked about seventeen of her nerves into overdrive at the same time.

She was almost too relieved to send her sister and Tsubasa off, settling inside and sighing into the blissful peaceful silence of no one here. She was on break from her own world of experimentation and song based reading. There was nothing to do except get ready for the night. Which meant thinking of red hair and a warm voice and contemplating smothering herself in one of her sister's pillows.

Great. Sounded like highschool all over again.


	3. The Wonder Girlfriends

3 - The Wonder Girlfriends

Within a day, cute girls aside, Serena was bored.

In any other week, she was pretty sure everyone would have been around. There should have been frequent threats to the 'come over and suffer our cooking' sort of deal. Or worse: 'deal with us suffering our own cooking', deal. Serena truly did not understand how someone who lived around her sister for an extensive amount of time had not figured out how to cook. But there weren't, as everyone was busy with their educations, while she had done all of hers for the week.

She had a horrible urge to make pies and bring them around like those American movies. She just needed that weird style of dress, whatever it was called. Even Maria admitted she was the better baker of the two of pastry dough did have an illogical hatred of her sister. She babysat too often.

 _What would Kanade-san look like in a Western dress?_ In an early 50's dress? Serena snorted before she could stop herself. That sounded hilariously bad. Kanade-san was nothing but angles and sharpness, her curves purely for her bust and rear only. ... Not that she'd looked! But the few minutes they had been together in the same room was enough for her to start making guesses. She shouldn't be greedy though. Kanade-san was only a family friend and Serena was jumping to conclusions way too fast.

Thinking that did not stop her from trying to imagine Kanade in anything remotely resembling a dress. It didn't end well. "She's been in a dress before though," she told herself because she had before Maria had taken her place in the idol duo with Tsubasa. She had been in short skirts and casual dresses and – gods.

Boy, it was a good thing they had not met before.

The doorbell rang and Serena felt her heart race like a hopeful puppy for a pig ear. Still, she had to control herself here. She went to the door in cautious steps, already mentally fumbling over a greeting because these had to be either really good or at least not embarrassing oh she was screwed.

Then she opened the door to Kirika and Shirabe holding hands, Shirabe with a batch of cupcakes precariously balanced between her twin tails. Serena hid her disappointment by dragging them inside before the three of them had to play sweets juggle.

"Hi," she said, smiling because while she would have liked to see Kanade she also really liked to see her big sister's pet projects – good friends. They were the fun ones, even though Shirabe acted exactly the opposite of fun if you didn't know her. "What brings you by?"

"Maria has Netflix," Shirabe supplied, setting the plastic container down. "And you understand trigonometry."

"By the split ends of my hair," Serena said dryly, but she was smiling. "All right, fine. I'll help, just help me pick something to make for dinner."

Kirika grinned. Serena regretted saying that immediately.

Within minutes, Kirika had to be batted towards the remote and away from the canned albacore and the eggs. Now she was cooing at romantic anime while Shirabe leaned on her in that way that seemed completely and utterly not innocent. Serena doubted it actually was no matter what her sister thought.

But they'd better be while she was here. Otherwise, she would have evidence. There was nothing more terrifying than a younger sibling with evidence and someday, they would learn that.

Hopefully.


	4. A Well-Timed Interruption

4 – A Well Timed Interruption

On the one hand, no the two of them did not stop with a few not-so-harmless shenanigans. Serena personally blamed the blonde's excursion to Europe and Shirabe's secret (supposedly secret) joy at being able to get the most entertaining noises out of Kirika with the most supposed innocent gestures.

On the other, at least the house had some noise.

Why did her sister get a house anyway? Was it to help Tsubasa feel at home when she visited? Was it in hopes of having a big family of adopted children and giving them the space to run around and be free? Was it because there was more room to hide things under her furniture? Because when they were kids, that had happened a lot. It was only in high school that Maria-nee-chan had actually started cleaning and cleaning obsessively. Then again, the kouhai were coming around more often. So it had to at least seem like she had her life all put together.

Her sister was silly. They didn't actually care.

There was a knock at the door and hearing the Netflix television volume only go up, Serena gave up and went to greet whoever it was. Maybe they were here to complain about the severe amount of public indecency.

Serena opened the door to see Kanade, with, of all things, a plastic container in her hands. "Yo!" she said merrily. "I heard you have a couple of hellions in your house who need a distraction."

"We do not!" Kirika hollered across the house. Shirabe snorted, or Serena thought that she did. Hi, Kanade-san!"

"Yo, squirts." Kanade grinned as she entered the house, leaving Serena trying not to be a blushing mess of goop on the floor because well then. She wasn't wearing a dress, but the blouse shirt hugged her torso from the sides and the V-neck was really cute at the edges.

Serena suddenly felt super underdressed. In what was her own house. "Want some tea?" she asked to cover her own awkwardness. "I think it's just finished."

"that'd be awesome." Kanade's brash, easy going smile was enough to make everything feel a little less... terrifying. "What kind do you have?"

"Citrus!" Serena perked. "I have to bring it with me because all Nee-san drinks is green with three hundred spoonfuls of sugar." She shuddered in disgust. "It's insulting."

"It sounds like clogged arteries waiting to happen." Kanade's smile only widened. "But, I've got fudge, so that'll even it out for us, right?"

Shirabe was suddenly peering over the couch, Kirika and the anime forgotten. "...Fudge?"

Kanade nodded gravely and magically produced a second container seemingly from nowhere. "Your _own_ fudge."

Serena had never seen a house empty so quickly in her life. Not even when someone bought a tofurky from the foreign supermarket.

Kanade winked and Serena exhaled with relief. "So..." she said with a proud smile. "What were you going to watch before they got here?"

It then occurred to Serena that she was alone in the house with a cute girl.

Maria-nee-san was going to kill her.


	5. Small Moments

5 – Small Moments

Serena flicked through the foreign cartoons, resisting the urge to reach for the horror films (which she liked) and the anime (which she was picky with at best) in favor of being _the good host_ and letting Kanade pick what she liked while she finished making dinner. It wasn't as good as it could have been, but apparently, her sister had not been grocery shopping in a few days.

(Also romantic dinners were not her forte. She could not stand heavy food.)

"You almost done?" Kanade chirped. "I found a set of American comedians."

Oh god, American comedy. "My one weakness," Serena replied, trying to keep her voice as deadpan as possible.

Kanade laughed at her voice, or the way it sounded. "Are you saying it's not?"

"I'm not saying anything at all."

Kanade only tittered again, a nice normal sound that made Serena's heart itch. Sh gathered the basic meal and went to sit down beside her and the fudge, which to her surprise had barely been touched.

"Maria-nee-san said you loved chocolate," she said after a moment. The fudge smelled good, so why wouldn't someone, especially someone who had submit themselves to actually making the stuff. Why wouldn't she eat them?

Kanade, to her surprise, actually flushed a bit when she asked. "Tsubasa used to hit me on the hand every time I would touch the bowl when I started making it to sneak a taste. Force of habit at this point."

That... sounded exactly like Tsubasa. "How mean," she declared. Kanade laughed freely.

"Don't want to spoil your appetite, do you?" She joked and her eyebrows knotted together in a face that looked more like Maria than anything. Serena couldn't help but snort, sitting down beside her and putting the food nearby.

"They'd both say it just like that too," Serena agreed. "So." She cocked her head to the side. "Comedy?"

Kanade smiled a mile wide. "Comedy."

* * *

At some point, the two of them had found themselves with Serena half-splayed across the left side of Kanade's chest and Kanade's arm wrapped loosely over both her shoulders.. Serena's chest hurt from laughter and from containing embarrassing noises. It wasn't like Kanade-san meant anything by it. Probably.

Said redhead was grinning so hard it hurt. "This guy is great," she muttered, wiping her eyes. "Almost makes me care about American politics."

He was good, Serena couldn't deny. However, she was frequently getting distracted by how _comfortable_ she was. It wasn't like she had known Kanade for long and this amount of closeness was distinctly uncommon.

"Do you... do this often?" She finally asked when the comedian went off the stage on-screen. What 'this' was Serena couldn't even begin to explain. Friendly comedy watching? Close affection in someone else's house? A date? What?

"Hang out with friends? Yeah." Kanade looked down at her. "There are usually more of us though." She sighed. "Guess that's what I get for being free with exams."

Then, almost unnaturally, the redhead started to grin. "I have an idea."

Serena suddenly felt a terrible amount of dread in her stomach.


	6. The Old Building

6 – The Old Building

It was day two, technically, of her house sitting job and she wasn't even in the house. To be fair, her sister hadn't said she couldn't leave. Knowing how much of a nervous wreck she could be in regards to her family. (she was surprised she hadn't called her yet. But then there was probably a lot of jetlag and touring to do. Or she'd finally popped the question on Tsubasa. If only.), she had probably been guilted out of it. Thank you Tsubasa.

Because of that, the young woman found herself standing outside of a particular high school. Well, itw as a private school. Whatever. Honestly, the distinction was lost on her. She was in uni for god's sake...

Oh. She was almost the same as Kanade kill her now.

Speaking of Kanade, there she was, dressed in cut off jeans and an all new blouse. It was a pinkish red. Serena wrinkled her nose in envy. She couldn't pull off full pink in an outfit. It was just impossible. Mix it with some other pastels and light colors? Sure. Like that? Nope. She did not have the confidence. She lounged against the bars of the fence, taking in the sun with her eyes closed. Her hair even fluttered in the wind like some magazine photo shoot.

Not. Fair.

Serena swallowed and called out her name.

Kanade opened her eyes and smiled, bright red abnormal and exploding with light. In any other situation they would be the sign of the main anime character.

... Come to think of it, were her eyes naturally red? That was a good question to ask, wasn't it? She'd ask it later if and when they would have nothing else to talk about.

If they did.

Kanade looked up and waved at her, leaning up just a little. Serena adjusted her sunhat, feeling out of place to the large building.

"Calm down," Serena told herself with a determined frown pinching her lips. "You graduated from this school."

"Whatcha muttering about?"

Later, Serena could admit to herself that she had jumped about half a foot in the air at having Kanade suddenly in her face. Kanade grinned and Serena made a face. It totally wasn't funny.

"Morning," said the redhead when Serena could breathe again. What are you so nervous about?"

Serena tried to give the best withering look imaginable. "I have no idea."

"Kanade made a noise like a pug chuffing. "I've got to be the least serious for real. It's not like we're breaking in. We have an appointment and everything."

Serena twitched her eye. Serious? Her? "We're singing on demonstration. I don't publicly sing! That's... That's Nee-san's career of choice!"

Kanade laughed. "We'll be fine. It's just a substitute choir class for a day."

Serena pouted. "It's just a substitute choir class for a day," she mimicked, eyebrows going to her hairline.

Kanade, if possible, laughed harder. "I don't sound like that." She paused. "do I?"

Serena kept her, admittedly silly face. Then it crumpled into giggles. "No," she admitted. "You're a bit deeper than me."

"Aw," Kanade said innocently. "I'm touched, Eve."

Serena blushed to the roots of her hair and smacked Kanade's arm. "Come on, you," she managed to say. "Before I change my mind."


	7. The Songstress

7 – The Songstress

Somehow the nerves of being near Kanade were being overwhelmed by the fact that she was now standing in front of a classroom of high school choir students. There were only three who were vaguely familiar, familiar from cheering at her sister's concerts, familiar from being close friends while she was on the peripheral.

That said, however, that was a class away. For now, they were in front of a bunch of strangers and it sucked honestly.

Kanade only grinned. "You can play the piano, right?"

Serena wanted to scowl. Were they actually going to discuss this publicly? They were supposed to be adults, have things planned!

"I do," she finally said.

Kanade gave her a thumbs up. "Then take care of that! The melody is mine."

"I need to sight read?!" Serena said incredulously, watching the students from behind the piano stool.

Kanade nodded. "Yep! You'll get better. Remember, they know we're only temps and we have other classes. And besides, this is _singing._ " Something in those red eyes turned fanatic, delighted. "We're meant to have fun. Trust me!"

"I feel like you say that a lot," Serena told her with as much firmness as possible while trying not to quake with nerves and embarrassment. Trust her. Yes. She could definitely trust Amou Kanade. That wasn't her being ridiculous. Nope. "But... okay. Let's do it."

Kanade beamed. "That's the way. Just follow my lead." And they stepped out.

Kanade introduced them both and in doing so, caused about five different reaction of 'oh crap' and joy. Great. No pressure there.

Then the song started. Kanade began tapping out the rhythm with one foot and waiting. Carefully nervously, Serena began to play, scanning the music and pressing key after key. It felt a little too slow, a little forceful.

Then, without missing a beat, Kanade started to sing.

Serena had never fallen harder for somebody in her life and she remembered eighth grade pretty darn well.

Seeing her cue, soft and timid, Serena made herself join it, a brief feeling of disatisfaction welling up in her. She had none of the singing training, none of the lack of nerves, none of the practice.

Kanade glanced at her and then gestured vaguely with her fingers.

Faster? She did so, earning a grin and tapping her foot. Then, abruptly, she moved her hand in a way that Serena recognized from watching rehearsals. She stopped playing, looking at her curiously.

"All right, you've heard the start," she declared with another big smile. "Let's hear you guys~"

She got a rousing round of approval for this and Kanade directed it once more.

"She's got a head for treating kids like they aren't hormonal miserable snots," Serena couldn't help but muse underneath the sounds of the piano and more than a couple off-key sixteen year olds.

Still. Kanade was right. It was kind of fun.

By the end of that class, Serena felt her throat starting to hurt. But it was warm in her chest and the class looked happy and relaxed.

"Good work," Kanade told her, gulping down ice-cold water. "One down."

Serena blushed and took the offered bottle. "Thanks. How many more to go?"

"Two, I think. The other classes are the day after. The teacher should be back by then." Kanade winked at her. "Wait until your sister hears about this."

Serena managed a grin. "I won't be able to escape her. Guest shows, bonus specials, I'll befamous too before you know it!"

"And then you'll travel far, far away," Kanade ended with her smile. She seemed happy enough, but there was something wistful about it too.

Why did Kanade-san retire, anyway?


	8. Eloping

8 – Eloping

"Waah! Kanade-san!"

That was not an atypical response to meeting Kanade, Serena was starting to realize. It was, however, definitely loud, and therefore came right from the mouth of Tachibana Hibiki. Serena had met her a few times before, at concerts, next to an embarrassed likely girlfriend, Kohinata Miku. This seemed to be almost the exact same scenario, except they were actually face-to-face and not across a stage.

Kanade took it all in stride, embracing Hibiki in a hug that would cut off the idea of air for anyone else. Miku leaned to the side of her and glanced at Serena. Her head shook in sympathy, a smile tearing her lips wide.

Serena couldn't help herself: She giggled. "Kanade," she began and the loss of the honorific came out much too smooth for her taste and she had to struggle not to laugh like an insane buffoon at the sound of it with cheeks redder than a sunburn. "We have to let them into the room," she said instead.

Kanade pretended to pout in Hibiki's hair, which now that she looked, puffed out like a baby chick's backside.

 _Does that make Kanade the mama chick?_ Serena thought and almost said aloud. She resisted and tapped Kanade on the arm. "C'mon. Let's hear 'em at it."

"Spoilsport," Kanade muttered, releasing Hibiki and letting the rest of the students stream in.

Hibiki didn't seem disappointed. In fact, she turned and launched herself at Serena. "It's been a while!"

Serena could only blink and nod. "Uh, I ... yeah?"

She was saved by Miku grabbing Hibiki by the ear and yanking her away. Miku studiously ignore the pained noises coming from her. Serena couldn't help but wince in sympathy and rub her ear.

Kanade clapped her hands, her mouth and eyes glimmering with mirth. There was a little fondness there too, like she was looking in a mirror.

Then class began and Serena was forced to forget about it, at least for a while.

When they were finished, however, there was nothing to stop Hibiki from grabbing them by the hand and dragging them to the cafeteria. Serena almost protested, but then dcided against it.

Miku shot her a sympathetic look. "Once Hibiki has decided on something, it's best to go along with it."

Serena couldn't control her smile. "That sounds incredibly familiar."

Miku laughed and it was loud enough to cause both Hibiki and Kanade to turn and look at them.

"Come on," Hibiki called, bouncing from foot to foot. "Rice is waiting Miku. Rice! Rice!"

"Rice," Serena repeated, looking at them all. Kanade is muttering gleefully to herself loud enough about chicken and sea salt. She doesn't want to know, really.

Miku sighed. "She'd subsist on carbs if I let her."

"And so you will not let her."

"Not without better grades, I won't."

Serena laughed. She liked Miku. She made this whole crush thing feel wayyy better. Then again, hers was apparently fulfilled because when Hibiki ran to take her hand, Miku only clenched tighter rather than pulled away.

Like Tsubasa did for Maria.

Was that what she wanted for herself?


	9. A Spot of Fancy

9 – A Spot of Fancy

It was a day and a half before Serena found Kanade again. Having been enjoying the silence for homework purposes, she eventually ventured out of the house to find some food.

Not that her sister hadn't left any, but when Kanade was over last time, they had discovered just how eccentric her sister's taste buds could go. Fish spices and cinnamon donuts? A serious lack of salt? Table crackers?

No, no, no there needed to be stocked shelves when her sister got back, complete and filled with recipes attached to the fridge.

... Serena wasn't fretting about things she couldn't control. Nope, not her.

"I don't even believe my own narration," she muttered, grabbing more vegetables and rice. How could her sister be out of race? Did Hibiki-san steal from her cabinets or something?

Never mind, that was actually plausible. According to Kanade, she was over there enough.

Just thinking of that made Serena smile and continue to pick up things. It wasn't like she didn't have money and she was... frugal. Sometimes needlessly so.

Maria-nee-chan was never going to know how she earned it though. She did not need any looks about how wearing a maid outfit and acting cutesy was demeaning in some manner. It was the most discrete job she could find and more of then than not there were standards. Somewhat. She was tough enough to handle it!

Serena was just going to pretend that thought was true and move on.

By the end of her trip, Serena was ready to flop on the couch and order out. She looked at the amount of bags she had grabbed and made a face.

"It didn't look this bad when I put it in the cart."

"It never does," said the cashier with something like sympathy. Something like it, because a really sympathetic person would have helped her out a little right? Right?

Since she got no help, Serena proceeded to give her fingers a work out and started the slow walk back to her sister's house. It was the most ungainly lurching she had ever experienced in her life, and honestly, she probably deserved the pain. She had made this bed.

"Hi Serena!"

Orrrr maybe not. Serena eased the bags to the ground and turned around. Hibiki and Miku were standing there, shoulder bags identically over the right side. Bright smiles and heavy eyes greeted her as they ran over to her.

"Ooh!" Hibiki seemed permanently incapable of being anything but happy, or at least publicly so. "That's a lot of bags."

"Nee-san's pantry is suspiciously low," Serena admitted. "I thought it'd be good to have her come home to have one less thing to worry about."

Miku's green eyes were wide as she looked over the haul of food. "How did you get all of that to fit in that cart? And these bags?"

"Luck," Serena groaned, rolling her shoulders.

Hibiki clapped her hand on one, which hurt like an arrow. She'd been hit by blunt arrows, she knew. "Well, not to worry," she chirped. "We'll help you now!"

Serena decided to be grateful when it hurt less.


	10. Awkward is a Middle Name

10 – Awkward is a Middle Name

Between the three of them, Serena managed to get her entire haul of food back to the house. Which would have been great... until she saw Kanade sitting outside the door.

Hibiki thankfully did not drop the bags when she hugged the older woman and buried herself in the bust, but she almost smacked Kanade with them instead. Which would have been funny if it weren't for Serena's lack of preparedness in dealing with Kanade. And the fact that she was seeing her sweaty and struggling with bags with her hair a mess.

Internally she knew that Kanade probably wouldn't care, but that was logic talking. Not the blush talking.

"H-Hi!" she managed to say.

Kanade grinned. "Sick of me yet?"

"No!" Serena squeaked. She swore she heard Miku laugh. "Not at all! It's just... been a couple of days?" Oh yeah. Nailed it. Totally.

Kanade grinned sheepishly and scratched the back of her head. She hadn't herad any of it. Phew. "Sorry, my roommate and I went into another part of Tokyo to visit her guardian and return... his spare laptop. He's not good with technology smaller than his arms."

Hibiki giggled, and Miku hid a smile behind her hand. Serena could easily interpret that as an in-joke without that prompting, thanks. "Who?"

"Ahhhh~" Kanade dragged out the word. She tried to look sheepish too. "Tsubasa's uncle."

"He taught me how to fight," Hibiki chirped as she unsubtly tried to nudge Serena with one of the bags. "I can eat lightning and crap thunder."

Miku and Kanade laughed as Serena looked at her in utter horror.

" _What?!"_

...

It took about ten minutes to get Serena calmed down and able to understand that Hibiki had not meant that literally, but that there had just been a lot of kung-fu movies involved.

Hibiki, as Serena was starting to really comprehend that as being completely normal for her, remained guileless throughout, putting food in the pantry by instinct alone.

Kanade tried to help but after the third time she reached over Serena's head to put something high in the fridge, Serena ended up stomping on her foot and telling her to 'leave her tallness' on the couch.

Serena had never known an adult to pout so well, but Kanade had succeeded in nearly wearing down her resolve.

Not even a crush could stand up to the fact that Serena was short and hated being short!

Oh god she had just admitted that in her head, hadn't she?

Did Kanade even care? Or at least notice? She hadn't said anything, and Kanade sure seemed open to saying whatever she felt like because she felt like it.

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to ask... oh who was she kidding? It definitely would. She would get rejected...

But they'd actually known each other less than a week. What the hell brain?

Serena resisted the desire to cave to it, the urge to give in and wander in and bury herself into the idea that she was romantically attracted to Amou Kanade.


	11. Root of the Matter

11 – Root of the Matter

Was this Romeo and Juliet for lesbians?

Serena had always had ideas about her sexuality, ideas that stemmed from years and years of formal school with cute girls and a lot of male friends who helped her walk through the awkward talks you did not get from your older sister who had the temperament of a very excitable and also dramatic puppy dog. There were a lot of first dates people just didn't know about and if they were spread anywhere, she still had blackmail to ruin their careers. In fact, she was pretty sure this was worse.

Hence why, despite that, Serena was ninety percent certain that she found Amou Kanade attractive in a myriad of ways. That did not equal liking her somehow.

The last ten percent of her certainty was laughing at her with a molotov cocktail and waiting to throw it on the hot oil called denial.

She wiggled the last crisper drawer back into place and sighed in relief. "I want pizza."

"I want to see your sister's face when she sees the bill on the credit card," Kanade countered from the couch.

Miku and Hibiki just groaned, laying comically on the carpet of the living room. Hibiki had actually faceplanted into it.

Serena admired the perfect form. Then she went for her cellphone. "What do you guys want?"

"meat!" Kanade replied immediately.

"Rice!" was Hibiki''s response, muffled in the carpet.

"Hibiki," Serena began with as much patience as possible. "We're not getting rice in tomato sauce."

She was very happy not to see the other girl's face. "How about in white sauce then?"

Serena pretended to think about it. "No."

Miku patted her on the arm and made herself get up. "Rice doesn't need to be with a casual meal, Hibiki."

"Aww..."

Serena, also taking pity, turned on the rice cooker.

...

By the time Hibiki and Miku left for real, the house was somewhat clean, but the rice cooker was empty. Spotless. And Serena hadn't washed it yet.

How.

"She's a rice vacuum," Serena decided, giving up and soaking the pot in the sink. She just... wasn't going to think about this anymore.

Kanade only snickered in sympathy and tied up the garbage bag. "That's just how she works. Don't think about it too hard."

"I don't think I can." Serena rubbed her eyes and distracted herself with the washing up. "You don't have to go home?"

"Not for a few hours." Kanade held a piece of pizza aloft, its box comfortable on her lap. "Chris – my roommate – is holding an impromptu tutoring session so her juniors don't get buried alive. Again."

"A...Again?"

"Something about 'being in the middle was not good enough." Kanade only shrugged again and took an oversized bite. She chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. '"Mind if I kill the time over here with you?"

"Nope!" Serena heard her voice squeak and hated it. "Not really. No one else is here."

Kanade grinned and raised her fingers in a mocking two-finger salute. "You look to be the life of parties."

"only if those parties include me and my cats."

"I'd love a party with cats."

Serena blinked, actually feeling at... a bit of a loss. "Are... are you flirting with me?"

"That depends," Kanade turned her head to look Serena right in the eye. "Are you interested?"


	12. Honest Questions

12 – Honest Questions

Dun. Dun. Dun.

Serena would have probably thought that sound effect herself if the question hadn't been directed so squarely at her, So she didn't. Nope. Certainly not her.

Well. How was she supposed to react to this normally?

For a minute or two she just stared at the older girl, looked at her lopsided half of a smile and the glimmer in those red eyes.

"I... uhm."

Serena expected the expression to drop, the guilt and discomfort to come, and ruin her chances because her tongue was in a twister. But Kanade waited, patiently. Which was weird. She would have never have pegged Kanade as a particularly patient person, at least when it came to matters of romantics and the heart like this. But she didn't mind really.

Then again she and Kanade were around the same age. She'd probably figured things out.

Serena took a deep breath. "I think..." she started. "That I'm interested... but I'm also not sure, because we barely know each other. So I don't know if I want anything serious right now. You are however, very, very distracting to me, in a good way."

She bowed her head. "So I'd like to wait a little longer to be sure of anything?" Serena was quiet a moment, then she shook her head again. "No, no I'd definitely like to wait a little longer to be sure. I want to... to spend more time with you and do more things, even after the housesitting job is over."

Kanade listened, having turned around on the couch to face her better. She kept her head tilted, mouth in a firm, serious line. Then she nodded her head. "All right!"

Serena blinked. "Oh, uhm, really?" This was the quickest confession and response she had ever dealt with... High school wasn't that long ago but still.

Kanade only nodded, letting out a yawn. "Yeah. I was just expecting a no. So, it's fine, ain't it?"

"I..." Serena made a face. "I guess." She scratched her cheek. "Yeah, I think it is!"

She was answering this all wrong wasn't she? Ugghhh.

"Good!" Kanade's serious expression turned back into a big, vibrant smile in no time flat. "Then come on, I've still got a few hours to kill. Have you ever seen _Lord of the Rings_?"

Serena twitched. Oh no. It was going to come down to this, wasn't it? "I grew up all over Europe for years." She adopted the haughtiest tone of voice that she could muster. "Who do you think I am? Of course I've seen it! And read it!"

Kanade's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Then it's time for an extended edition run."

Serena grinned with such ferocity it would have looked intimidating to Hibiki if she was still there. (It was lucky for her that she was not, or Miku would have had to stop her.)

"Bring it."

Later Serena would remember the earlier question, and still had yet to get the answer from Kanade.

It was only fair to ask right?


	13. Everyone Has Reasons

13 – Everyone Has Reasons

The rest of the week was fairly peaceful. She went out sometimes, checked for pictures and went shopping again.

Kanade wasn't around much for the rest of the weeks, having had to stay and help her roommate and her friends survive the horror that was their tests. She found it hilarious, of course, but it also seemed like a lot of work.

Also as a result, Serena was getting a lot of links to recipes on her phone. They were all great and practical but still! It was... It was like a hint or something.

"Why are you sending me these?!" she finally messaged her, pretending like she wasn't pouting at the tiny phone screen.

Kanade's response was fairly quick. "Because it's fun!"

Seren pinched the bridge of her nose. Why was she attracted to this person again?

It disturbed her that her brain had taken this after a single conversation and less than a week.

She decided not to think about it and kept at it. "I'm not sure my sister would eat some of this."

It took about five minutes to get that one. "You can always yell at her. I've seen the diets she's tried to forcefeed the wondertwins."

"They're not twins, Kanade-san." No, they were a couple who had a tendency to do so many things together even their thought processes sounded similar. "Maria-nee-chan just hens over them both equally."

"Weird. But still, you have to keep her from being a hypocrite."

"I..." _I guess that's the duty of a_ _little_ _sister._ "It is not."

A laughing face appeared on screen and then her phone started to ring. Trepidation filled her throat as Serena answered the call.

"Really?" she managed to say.

Kanade laughed. "Well it's no fun if I don't hear you react to the things I say."

Serena rolled her eyes and smiled at the same time. At least it left her hands free... "If you say so." She got up and went to make dinner.

Kanade laughed again, this time over the sound of a mechanical dinging sound "Chris," she called, her voice muffled by her hand. "Your water's done."

Whatever the response was to that was obscured by Serena turning on the faucet.

"So," she said,putting the pot on the stove. "How do you know what a little sister is supposed to do?"

"Huh?" Kanade sounded like she'd almost coughed up a rice ball. "Cause I have a little sister! She does that to me all the time!"

"You..." Serena looked at the phone. "You have a sister?"

"Yeah!" Kanade sounded like she was grinning now. "I'll send you a picture after we're done. She's cute. Much better behaved than I am." Kanade laughed out loud. "I can't bring her around much because Tsubasa likes her better."

"Likes her better?" Did she even know much about Kanade, now that she thought about it?

"Tsubasa likes anyone who is as much of a serious worrywart as her!" Kanade said this with complete fondness and pride in her heart. "It's why she likes your sister a lot."

"I... I see..." Serena loved those traits too... but only because it was her _sister._

Thinking about that brought that other, familiar question back into her mind. She hesitated, at first, chewing her lip and focusing a little too hard on defrosting the fish.

"Kanade-san," she began. "Could I ask you something important?"


	14. Some Are Good Answers

_warning for past injuries_

* * *

14 – Some Are Good Answers

"Something important?" Kanade didn't speak immediately after that, a puzzled note entering her voice. "I don't mind, what's up?"

Well, she knew Kanade was listening then. And there was no backing out now either. "I... I wanted to know... why did you retire from idol work?"

The line went quiet. Serena put the phone on speaker as she busied herself with the rest of the meal. "I mean, well... you don't have to answer. I just wanted to know because at the school you were really good... and if you ever wanted to tell me, I don't mind listening..." Serena trailed off, face burning even though she was home alone.

Then Kanade chuckled. "You're a dork," she declared and Serena could imagine her face, all smiles and warmth. "Was that bothering you the entire time?"

If possible, Serena's face burned a darker red. "Well... yeah, I thought it was pretty serious since no one brings it up!"

"That's because they're silly too." Kanade went quiet for a while, giving Serena a few minutes to collect herself.

Then she began. "When Tsubasa and I were in Zwei Wing, we were asked to send off the old stage in the middle of the city here before they demolished it for a scheduled rebuilding. We were to give it a whole goodbye. The place was sold out. It was a normal performance mostly." She exhaled quietly, and Serena could hear the sound of tinkling wind chimes.

"Then the concert stands exploded."

Serena's blood, despite what everyone said happened when you heard terrifying things, ran cold.

"We found out later that some jealous industry rival set off the bombs," Kanade continued breezily. "We were supposed to just get out, right? But I couldn't do that. Music had saved my life. I had to at least save one more person. Which... I did, and we got buried under the rubble together. The doctors said if I hadn't been there, she definitely would have died."

"I..."

"Hibiki was always a stubborn girl though, apparently. But I got hit pretty hard. I recovered, apparently, because Im still me, but it's too much on me to do the routines anymore. And besides, it freaked out my family. They flew from across continents to check on me. And you know, I'm a tough, independent woman. Couldn't just stand by and let that happen. So I decided to retire."

Serena was silent. She gulped down some water, busied herself with dinner for a little too long.

"I'm sorry I made you tell me," she said after a while. "I'm sorry that happened. "

She had always known that some people were awful and that jealousy did awful things to a person and their heart and soul. That didn't mean other people should pay for it. That didn't mean an entire audience should pay, if what Kanade wasn't saying was anything to go by.

Kanade didn't answer for a while. The only reason that Serena knew that the woman hadn't hung up was due to the quiet hiss of the phone still on the line.

"I'm glad you did."

Serena felt her throat close. "Really?"

"Yeah. It was good to talk about it."

That wasn't enough for Serena, really. But she would take it for now.


	15. Coming to an End

15 – Coming to An End

At about seven o'clock in the evening Saturday night, Serena woke up from her nap only because her phone was buzzing hard enough to be a massage chair piece. She fumbled for it, eyes crusted and weighed down by sleep. She barely managed to swipe the right direction before flopping her face back into the pillow. She didn't even see who it was.

"Yeah...?"

"Evening to you too."

"Nee-sannnnn," Serena whined. "It's hot today."

Her sister laughed. Damn her. "It's nice and cool on the plane."

Serena actually had to sit up now. "Are you calling me from a flying _plane_?"

"Am I that irresponsible?"

Serena made her sister wait for that answer and then deflated handily. "No, I guess not."

"Good answer." The tone of her voice made Serena struggle not to roll her eyes.

It was a lie, anyway. Her sister would be that reckless because she would forget. This only changed if someone was with her and didn't know. That was just the way her sister worked with these things. She was just in denial about it. So it was more forgetfulness.

"You'll be back tomorrow?" she said, shaking herself free of her own thoughts. Cause they were very rude thoughts. "Do I need to drive out all the party animals?"

"You wouldn't be sleeping through any party animals, believe me." Maria let out a disapproving sigh like she had fallen for the joke anyway. "But I'll be back tomorrow night. We've got to go into the studio to hear Genjuuro-san's opinion and the base going forward. You don't have to wait up for me. You can go home now if you want."

Serena thought about this. She didn't mind. As a matter of fact, it was kind of the opposite. She'd like to go home and make sure her cat hadn't keeled over because her friends hadn't looked up how to clean a litter box and had forgotten to change the food and water more than once.

 _You can just call them and figure that out,_ she reminded herself before she spoke again, out loud. "Nah, I can wait. I wanted to talk to you about something out loud, you know..."

"In person? Are you okay?" Her sister's voice got a lot louder.

"Nee-san, get away from the phone." Serena made a face at it. "Seriously, I'm fine. It's just awkward to talk about on the phone where you and your coworker can spread it to a whole plane."

"Oh hush." Maria's voice was a grumble, but Serena gratefully heard her deflating. "I just worry. It's just emotional then. And I'm not that loud." She added as an afterthought.

"Sure you're not." Serena laughed, heart, thumping in her chest. "Anyway, I won't keep you delaying the plane. Good night, Nee-san."

"Good night, Serena." And she was gone leaving Serena laughing again until she realized she was the only sound in the room. She stared at her phone with wide eyes and then, decisiveness in every bone, dialed again.

When she picked up, Serena took another deep breath.

"Kanade-san?" she said. "It's Serena. Would you go on a date with me tomorrow?"

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ And of course I'm ending it there, right? I'll leave the answer to everyone's imaginations unless so asked. Thanks so much for reading!


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